Stave-bending machine



(No Model.)

J. DETERS. STAVE BENDING MACHINE.

Patented Nov. 14, 1893.

.NITED STATES:

.PATIEI Fries.

J O SEPHQDETERS LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY.

STAVE- B EN DI NG MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 508,506, dated November14, 1893.

Application filed June 1, 1891.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH DETERs, a citizen of the United States,residing at Louisville, 1n the county of Jefferson and State ofKentucky, have invented a new and useful Stave-Bending Machine, of whichthe following is a specification.

Heretofore, according to my knowledge and experience, the usual methodof bending the staves used in making heavy kegs, barrels and hogsheadshas .been, while the staves are hot from steaming, to settogether in acircle on end all the staves to be used in mak- '1Llg the keg, barrel orhogshead and after hooping together the lower ends, to force the upperends of the staves together by drawing tight aroundthem a strong loopedrope.

There being no support for the staves thus subjected to great strainmany of themusuzo ally break or crack about the middle. By my inventionI avoid this breaking to a great extent and also give the I staves amore permanent set in their proper bent form. I attain these objects bythe mechanism illus- 2 5 trated in the accompanying drawings and asfollows: V

In said drawings, Figure 1 is a side view of a stave plate and clampmade according to my invention. Fig. 2 is asimilar view of the 0 platewith the stave bent therein. Fig. 3 is a side view of a device forbending the plate and stave. Fig. 4 is a similar view of such deviceprovided with a former. Fig. 5 is a view of the plate, bendingdevice,-and former in operation. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of abending apparatus embodying further fea tures of my invention. Fig. 7 isa diagrammatic plan view illustrating the convergence of the pressuredevices.

The stave a; when ready to go through the bending process is usuallystraight and steamed hot. I place it in a portable steel back plate (Ain Fig.1 of the drawings) which is flexible and which has upright endsor flanges (B Fig. 1), hinged to one of which is a clamp (C Fig. 1)which, when the ends are pressed toward each other in the manner to bepresently described, engages the other end or flange (B Fig. 2) ofthevportable back plate. and holds the latter together with the inclosedstave in its desired bent form until the stave has had time to becomedry and cool when Serial No. 394.767. (N0 model.)

the clamp is lifted and the stave removed from the plate.

To obtain the desired pressure tobend the portable back plate andinclosed stave as indicated above I place them upon a second flexiblesteel plate (D Figs. 3, 4 and 5) the ends H of which working upon pivotsor hinges (E E Fig. 3) are connected with and carried by convergingendless chains (F F Fig. 6) between which,as the chains progress inconverging lines, the opposite ends of both the flexible plates aregradually forced toward each other and the plates andinclosed staveconsequentlybent intoproper position when, as above shown, th e clamp ofthe port-., able plate engages the flange (B, Fig. 2.) After the platesand inclosed stave have passed the point where the endless chains comenearest each other, the pressure upon the ends of 1 the plates ceasesand the portable plate and inclosed. stave are removed from the chain toabove mentioned.

I preferably use steel plates as stated but any other strong andflexible material may be used instead. I also, asstated, use anautomatic, hinged clamp, but can also use a clamp without hinging butwith end catches (as at B in Fig. 2) at both ends to engage the two endsof the portable plate.

Another-improvement that I have used in this machine is the former shownas Gin Fig. et. This is a rigid former, preferably steel or cast iron,so curved upon its upper surface :as, whenthe plates above mentioned andthe inclosed stave are pressed against it, will give uniformity ofcurvature to their'bending and also brace ,7 them against breaking. Thisformer is attached to'the end pieces of the plate (H in Figs. 3, 4:, 5and 6) by screws or bolts g working in grooves in such end pieces asshownin Figs. 4 and 5 marked I.

Fig. 6shows partof the machine with the converging endless chains (F andF) and the attached plates (D, D,' D) Without formers, ready to receivethe portable plates and staves.

At K are shown converging plates or rails in position to bend thestaves. fare antifriction rollers carried'yby the chains and adapted tobear upon the inner faces of said await the drying and cooling of thestave adapted to guide the chains and hold them rails. But if the chainsbe properly supported at their ends by any well known form of wheel orpulley, or by other suitable means, they will serve to bend the staveswithout the assistance of said rails, though I prefer to employ thelatter.

By converging chains I intend not only chains all parts of whichconverge, but also chains the essential stave-bending portions of whichalone are caused to converge, the stave holding and bending devicesbeing attached to said converging portions. This latter construction,which for most purposes I prefer in practice, is not claimedspecifically in this application, but is the subject matter, togetherwith other improvements, of my application dated September 28, 1892,Serial No. 484,002.

Having fully described myinventiomwhat I claim, and desire to secure byLetters Patent, is

1. The machine for bending staves substantially as herein describedcomprising converging pressure devices for forcing toward each other theends of and causing the bending of the stave, and means comprising anendless conveyer for moving the stave as a whole laterally or in adirection crosswise of the same between said pressure devices.

2. In a machine for bending staves, converging endless chains betweenwhich such staves are bent, and means for actuating the chainslongitudinally, substantially as herein described.

3. In a machine for bending staves, converging endless chains betweenwhich such staves are bent by pressure upon their ends, means foractuating the chains, and guides for the same, substantially as hereindescribed. I

4. The combination with a bending plate D, having the end pieces H, of aportable flexible plate for bending staves with a clamp C hinged theretoat one end and holding such plate and inclosed stave in their positionas bent, substantially as herein described.

5. The flexible plate with movable pressure ends, combined and connectedwith a converging endless chain and adapted to receive and form asupporting back for a stave and bend the same by end pressure,substantially as herein described.

6. The flexible plate with movable pressure ends adapted to receiveandform a supporting back for a stave and bend the same by end pressuresubstantially as herein described, combined with an endless carrierhaving converging sides.

7. The pressure ends connected to and moving with converging endlesschains adapted to receive a stave between them and bend the samesubstantially as herein described.

8. The former in a stave bending machine adapted to distribute thepressure upon a stave bent by compression of its ends and to supportagainst breaking and form such stave while bending, substantially asherein described, combined with an endless carrierhaving convergingsides.

9. The flexible plate with movable pressure ends moving betweenconverging guides and adapted to receive and form a supporting back fora stave and bend the stave by end pressure substantially as hereindescribed.

10. In a machine for bending staves the combination of end pieces orholders for the staves pivotally mounted eccentrically or to one side ofthe position of the stave, and means for forcing said pivots toward eachother longitudinally of the stave, substantially as set forth. I

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

JOSEPH DETERS.

Witnesses:

JNo. G. SIMRALL, JOHN G. DOOLAN.

